Pre-Med
At Dartmouth, students do not major in pre-med, but they can take all the courses they need to be ready for medical school. A science major, like Biology, can put you on the right track, but so can a major like Anthropology or International Relations. In fact, less than half of our medical school applicants are science majors—and this can be a real asset in the medical school admissions process.
Dartmouth has a number of noteworthy resources for pre-med students. Most importantly:
- Geisel School of Medicine: The nation's fourth-oldest medical school is right on campus and many professors have dual tenure with DMS and Dartmouth College. Undergrads often collaborate on research projects with medical school faculty and students.
- Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC): One of New England’s best hospitals is located just one mile from campus and provides numerous research and internship opportunities for undergrads.
Our Health Professions Program advises students applying to medical, dental, and veterinary schools, assisting students with course planning, internships, and applications.
- Each year 180 to 200 students apply to medical, dental, or veterinary programs.
- About one-quarter of the student body follows the Nathan Smith Pre-Medical Society email list.
- In recent years, about a dozen students of the 85 in the entering Dartmouth Medical School class are Dartmouth College graduates.
Unique advantages to Dartmouth’s pre-med program:
- The advising system lasts beyond your years at Dartmouth. We continue to work with students through graduation and beyond.
- Because of Dartmouth’s small size, the advising and letter-writing processes are very personal. Many universities have a pre-health committee that writes letters of recommendation. At Dartmouth, students select who writes the summary letter on their behalf (a faculty member, dean, or other advisor). The result: a much more personal letter than what might come from a committee.
- Dartmouth has very strong extracurricular programs that allow students to test their interests before they make a commitment to pursue this as a career.
- At any one time, about 300 Dartmouth alumni are attending medical school. They are available to assist students interested in pursuing medicine, including hosting Dartmouth students visiting for interviews.
- Support with medical school admissions, including from the Dartmouth Medical School Admissions Office.
- 80 Medical School Faculty members offer shadowing opportunities in a wide range of medical specialties. We also have community vet and dental shadowing programs.
- The Health Professions Program maintains a research opportunities directory, and students engage in a wide variety of medical research projects.
- Women In Science Project (WISP) connects students in their first or second year with paid part-time research internships with science faculty members or researchers in nearby industrial or government laboratories.
According to the Health Professions Program advisor, Dartmouth students who work hard, utilize pre-health resources, and maintain an average GPA are virtually guaranteed acceptance to medical school. The national medical school acceptance is about 45%, but with Dartmouth's strong Health Professions Program, our students' chance of admission to medical school is about twice the national average.
Pre-Law
Your transcript won't say "Pre-Law" for your major, but your Dartmouth transcript will speak volumes when you apply for law school.
The liberal arts curriculum at Dartmouth ensures you'll have the analytical and critical thinking skills law schools are looking for. On campus you'll want to check out Rockefeller Center, or Rocky as we call it, home to the Daniel Webster Legal Society, PoliTalk, VoxMasters, and a number of other student groups that will help you hone your legal skills. You also have the acclaimed Dartmouth Forensics Union, Mock Trial, and Parliamentary Debate.
When it's time to apply to law school, Career Services provides support to help you through the law school application process and personal advising when you need it. You'll also have the Alumni Career Advisory Network and the Dartmouth Lawyers Association to connect you with Dartmouth grads to help you be successful in law.
Every year English Majors to Music Majors go on to the nation's top law schools because Dartmouth taught them the skills they need to succeed. For centuries Dartmouth alumni have gone on to practice law. They have argued cases before the Supreme Court, from Daniel Webster, Class of 1801, to Neal Katyal '91, or served on the Supreme Court, including Salmon P. Chase, Class of 1826. You'll be in good company.
Pre-Business
Undergraduates at Dartmouth have the opportunity to take classes in various aspects of business, including accounting and marketing, from Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business. Though business can't be your major, with your Dartmouth connections it can lead you to exciting career opportunities. Dartmouth has long produced leaders in entrepreneurship, consulting, non-profits, finance, and a range of enterprises. Dartmouth alumni serve as leaders of some of the world's largest companies, including CEOs of GE and eBay, of inspiring non-profits, like the founder of GrassrootSoccer, and of public financial institutions as the Secretary of the Treasury.
Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business is one of the world's oldest and best business schools. Tuck offers undergraduate courses and arranges programs where undergraduates can meet global business leaders. We also have a number of student groups where you can pursue your interest in business or economics.
Dartmouth undergraduates can be part of the Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Network and solicit feedback on business plans or network with Dartmouth alumni who lead corporations across the globe. You may even get venture capital to expand your business. Young Dartmouth alumni helped start a range of businesses from Gyrobike (started in an introductory engineering class) to Adimab, a bio-tech firm located a few minutes off campus.
At Dartmouth, you will gain the skills and have the mentors you need to change the world through business.
